Anchor



Oct. 17, 1939. -w. c. DILLON ANCHOR Filed Aug. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 mm 92 wfl 1c w M Oct. 17, 193$. w. c. DILLON 2,176,566

ANCHOR Filed Aug. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 17, 1939.

ANCHOR w. c; DILLON 2,176,566

Filed Aug. 11, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES ANCHOR William C. Dillon', Qhicago,Ill., assignor to C.

Dillon & Company, Inc.,' Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 11,

6 Claims:

This invention relates to anchors of the kind sometimes called ground anchors. They are so designated particularly when used for holding an end of a fence or other post in the ground,

or for anchoring an end of a guy wire to the ground. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ground anchor which is adapted to be expanded by a force produced, for example, by a tamping tool, and which when expanded will have an anchoring spread of area that is a multiple of the diameter or area of the hole necessary to accommodate the collapsed or unexpanded anchor.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a novel anchor which, when expanded, will have a plurality of blades or other holding means arranged at such an angle asto obtain substantially the holding or anchoring strength of a cone anchor, and which, because of the similarity in appearance and anchoring results, may be conveniently referred to as an expansible conical anchor.

A further object of the invention is-the provision or an expansible conical anchor which is the anchored member, as, for example, in removing a temporary power or telephone line or a temporary-fence employing one or more anchors, it is unnecessary to lose the anchor or expensively and laboriously to excavate for retrieving it, if it is retrieved at all. 7

The invention has as another object the provision of blade mounting means-for an expansible conical anchor that are so positioned and related with respect to the blade spreader or base that the latter minimizes the leverage of the reaction force or, stated in slightly different words, to offset the fulcrums about which the installed whereby to provide a stronger blade pansible anchor as a unit during the positioning thereof in a hole preparatory to expanding the blades to anchoring position.

Another object of the invention is to'provide retrievable so that when it is desirable to remove" reaction forces act when the novel anchor'is' the anchored rod or member to hold "the ex- 1937, Serial No. 158,481

such blade locking means which are releasable by the anchor retrieving means.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a novel ground anchor which in relation to the diameter or area of the hole required," 5" provides an anchoring spread or area sufii'cient 1 for the intended purpose, the blades in spread position providing not only resistance to the tension along or axially of the anchored member,

but also outward or lateral resistance so that the 10" tensional force, for example, upwardly along the anchored member, is partially distributed laterally about the expanded anchor.

Many other objects of the invention will be:- come apparent from the following description 15" which, taken in conjunction with theaccompany ing three sheets of drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view o f a ground an- 0 chor shown partially in cross section and embodying some of the features of the invention, the blades being shown in full lines in collapsed position, and in broken lines in expanded position; 5 Fig. 2 is across section taken substantially" along the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; s v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a blade showing novel blade latching orlocking means for the anchor shown in Fig. 1; t

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary upright cross section through the anchor shown in Fig. 1, and showing certain assembly details with the blades in expanded position;

Fig. 5 is a partial elevation of the .anchorgfi" with the blades shown locked in expanded position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary upside down plan view of the anchor shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. I and illu strates a step in the retrieving of the novel anchor; I

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 and shows another step in retrieving the novel anchor v Fig. 9 is a transverse cross section showing a 45 plan view of the blades in anchoring position;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of a fence post embodying the novel anchor oi. the invention with the blades in collapsed position;

Fig. 11 is a similar view of the fence post and anchor shown in Fig. 10, with the blades ex"- panded to anchoring position; t

Fig; 12 is a cross section 1'. ken" substantially along the lines l2l2 of Fig. 11, showing a plan view of the blades in expanded position with "'three blades so shaped and constructed that each parts broken away to bring out certain structural details; and

Fig. 13 is a cross section taken substantially along the lines l3l3 of Fig. 10.

Illustrative of the invention, the drawings show a novel ground anchor, generally designated by the reference character A, suitably secured at one end of a member to be anchored, such as, for example, a guy wire rod B (Figs. 1 to 9, in clusive), or a fence post C (Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive). It will be understood that the rod 13 is of any usual construction and in conventional form comprises a shank portion l having an eyelet or other means 6 at one end to facilitate its connection with an ordinary guy wire (not shown), and being threaded at its opposite end, as shown at ll in Fig. 4, to threadably receive thereon a retaining nut l8.

The novel expansible anchor is suitably constructed to comprise a blade supporting head or member 19, a plurality of blades or anchoring means 2! pivotally supported by and depending from the head I9, and a base or other blade spreading means 22, which, when assembled at the threaded end of the rod B with the blades 2! collapsed thereabout, are adapted to be lowered into a hole 23 offabout the diameter of the base 22, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. In that position, an ordinary tamping tool, shown in broken lines at 24 in Fig. 1, may be employed to force the blade carrying head 49 downwardly toward the blade spreading means 22 whereby the blades 2| are cammed laterally outwardly to the anchoring positions indicated in broken lines 35 L at 25in Fig. 1.

For the blade supporting head 19 I prefer to employ a generally circular casting having a central aperture 26 therethrough of suficient diameter slidably to receive therein the shank I5 of the rod B, a plurality of lugs 27 spaced from one another about the periphery of the casting and extending radially outwardly therefrom, and a pair of spaced lugs 28 depending from each lug 27 with an inwardly curved depending web or lug 29 integrally connecting each lug 28 with the next lug 28 of the succeeding pair of lugs. By such a construction, the head A is made to provide a plurality of strong bearings for supporting the blades 2! and for cooperating therewith to produce an eifective expansible conical anchor 'with a maximum of holding strength for the relatively small hole required to receive the anchor.

As already indicated, a plurality of blades 2| are pivotally mounted to depend from the head '19 about the rod-receiving aperture 26 therein.

While any number of blades may be effectively employed in the novel anchor of the invention, best results are obtained when the blades, re-

gardless of the number thereof, will, in collapsed position, be located entirely within the projection of the base 22 taken axially of the rod B, and which will provide a maximum holding surface for anchoring when the blades are expanded. To accomplish that desirable end, I prefer to employ will have a maximum width approximating the length of the diameter of the hole required for installation of. the novel anchor.

my novel anchor.

Each of the blades 2| being identical, it is necessary to describe only one of them. Each blade Accordingly, three lugs 21 and three pairs of spaced lugs 28 are shown as mounting means for three blades in 2| comprisesa generally rectangular portion 31 having a slightly convex inner surface 32, and a pointed outer tip 33 projecting outwardly from the lower end of the portion 3i and curved to provide a slight concavity 34 at the face opposite the convex face 32. Integral with the outer face of each blade 2| is a rib 35 arranged centrally longitudinally of the blade inwardly of the concavity 34 and projecting beyond the opposite end of the rectangular portion 31 where the rib 35 is provided with an aperture for receiving a pin or other suitable pivoting member 36 journaled at opposite sides of the rib in a pair ofv the lugs 28.

Each blade is so constructed and dimensioned that the under surface of each lug 21 cooperates with the rib 35 to limit the pivotal movement of the blade in one direction, and the upper edges of the rectangular portion 3| at opposite sides of the rib 35 of the blade cooperate with the under edges of the corresponding pair of depending lugs 28 to limit the pivotal movement of the blade in the opposite direction. The widths of the rectangular portions 3! of the blades are such that when the blades are collapsed about their respective pivots 36, as shown best in Fig. 2, that the opposite edges of each rectangular blade portion will be substantially adjacent an edge portion of a different blade, or, stated slightly differently, Without limitation to a number of blades, the widths of the rectangular portion are such that in the collapsed position of the blades, the blades will substantially inscribe the shank l5 of the rod B and will not extend beyond the projected circumference of the base 22. When collapsed about the rod B as shown in Fig. 1, the tip 33 of each blade can rest on the base 22. The length of the blades is such that when extended or expanded to an angle of from 30 degrees (Fig. 4) to 45 degrees (Fig. 5) to the horizontal, each blade will project outwardly from the head a distance equal at least to the diameter of the head.

Cooperating with the blade and blade supporting head assembly just described is the blade spreading member or base 22 adapted to be secured on the threaded end of the rod B, which for that purpose may be inserted through a central aperture 38 in the blade spreading means 22 and held in place by a retaining nut 39 threaded on the end of the rod in a keeper ii! integral with and depending from the blade spreading means 22. That blade spreading means is substantially circular in plan view and is cast to provide a substantially frusto-conical portion 42* atthe upper side thereof and an inverted substantially frustoconical portion 43 at its lower side, thusforming an intermediate peripheral edge 44 with a diameter slightly less than that ofthe hole 23 and a flat upper end 45. The sides of the upper frustoconical portion 42 are formed at such an inclination that they cooperate with the tips 33 and the underffaces of the blades 25 to produce an outwardly camming action on the blades when the blades and their supporting head are moved downwardly along the rod toward the blade spreading means 22, and, in the fully spread position'of the blades, to provide a bearing support for them whereby the blades in the expanded position make an angle of from 30 to 45 degrees with the flat portion 45 of the spreading means blades inscribe the rod with their tips 33 resting on'the frusto-conical portion 42 of the blade spreading means, as shown in Fig. 1, the novel ground anchor may be lowered into the hole 23 Among the stated objects of the invention isthe provision of an expansible conical anchor in which the means for locking the blades in ex panded position is releasable and therefore cooperates with other means to permit retrieving the anchor whenever it is desirable. To that end I provide, as illustrative of means for retrieving the novel ground anchor, a hollow tubular menu-- ber 46 threadably, as shown at 41 in Fig. 4, or otherwise-suitably secured to the head i9 and adapted slidably to'receive therein the rod B. At its upper end the tubular member 46 is provided with a head portion 48 that is threadably or otherwise connected thereto and that may be provided with hooks or other projections 49 by means of which force may be applied by suitableapparatus, diagrammatically shown at in Fig. 8, through the tubular member to the anchor for retrieving the same. 7

For locking the blades in expanded position, I provide a lug 52' on the under side of each blade with a face or end portion 53 arranged at such an angle to the under face of the blade that in the blade anchoring position the end portion 53 of each lug latches over the peripheral edge 44 of the base or blade spreading member 22, releasably to hold the blades in their extended position.

Each of those blade latching lugs 52 is also provided with an inclined side- 54 to facilitate the further spreading of the blades after the lugs en gage the blade spreading means 22, Those lugs 52 are so dimensioned that they will, at their upper ends and in the collapsed position of the blades, engage the shank |5 of the rod B. That end of each lug engageable with the rod 3 is made to curve about the rod and is knurled or otherwise roughened, as at 55 in Fig. 2. Thepurpose of such construction of the lugs 52 is to resist and hence tominimize relative movement between the rod and the blade and blade support assembly, and hence between the base 22 and the blade and blade support assembly, while the novel anchor is being lowered into the hole 23. The lugs 52 thus cooperate with suitable tying means 56 (Fig. 1) for holding the anchor in assembled relation at the lower end of the rod during installation.

For loosening the earth above the anchor during retrieval thereof, a plurality of upstanding fins or cutters 57 are provided in spaced relation on the head l9 about the aperture 26.

In assembling the novel anchor for installation, the hollow tubular member 46 is connected to the head l9 and the rod B is inserted into the upper end of the tubular member and passed therethrough and through the head IS. The base 22 is then arranged on the threaded end of the rod B and secured in position by the nut H3. The tying means 56 is arranged about the blades 2| at the concavities 34 thereof,

Thus assembled, the anchor is inserted into the hole 23, which, it will be observed, may be of a diameter just sufficient to accommodate the collapsed anchor. A tamping tool 24 is then inserted into the hole alongside of the tubular member. 46 and moved into engagement on the head I 9 between succeeding fins 51. During that positioning of the anchor, the lugs 52 engaging the shank l5 of the rod B will tend to hold the blades 2| in engagement with the blade spreading means 22 so that the entire anchor A may be lowered intothe hole substantially as a unit,

When the anchor has been thus positioned, force applied on the head by the tamp-ing tool will urge the blades 2| against the frusto-conical portion 42 of the blade spreading means, causing the blades to be spread laterally outwardly and to break the tying means 55 which, it should be observed, is only of a strength suflicient to securely hold the blades in collapsed position during shipment and While the anchor is being positioned the hole 23. As the head I9 is thus moved downwardly toward the blade spreading means 22, the blades are forced outwardly into the sides of the hole, disturbing only a minimum of earth or soil, until the lugs 54 pass over and latch under'the peripheral edge 44 of the base 22. The hole 23 'may now be filled to complete the anchoring of the rod B. a

When it is desired to retrieve the anchor it is only necessary to apply a downward force on the rod B sufiicient to move the base 22 from the position shown at 22a. to the position shown at 221) in Fig. 7. The base is thus disengaged from the latching lugs 52. Thereafter an upward force applied through the means 5| to the tubular member 46 slides the head I9 and blades 2| carried thereby upwardly along the shank I5 of the rod B, causing the blades to collapse, as shown in Fig. '7. When, in thus retrieving the anchor, the head member 48 at the upper end of the tubular member-46 engages the eye |6, a further upward pull on the tubular member causes the withdrawal of the rod and the base 22 attached to its lower end (Fig. 8). During the retrieving of the anchor as just described, the fins 51 serve to loosen the earth above the anchor to facilitate its withdrawal.

As shown more particularly in Figs. to 13, inclusive, the anchor A may be secured to the lower end of the fence post C (illustrated for convenience as an angular shaped post) by means of brackets or arms 58 integral with the head l9 and secured to the faces of the angular post by, for example, bolt and nut assemblies 59. A rod B from its attachment with the base or blade spreading means 22, passes upwardly through the central aperture in the head I9, and is resilient. At its upper end the rod B is provided with a disc or flange 6| suitably secured thereto, which is removably receivable between opposed lugs or projections 62 struck out from or otherwise formed onthe faces of the angular post C.

With the anchor A of Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, assembled for installation, as shown in Fig. 16, the anchor-carrying end of the post is inserted in a hole in the manner described in connection with the anchor shown in the preceding figures. The disc 6| is then released from the lugs 62 by springing the rod B outwardly, as shown in Fig. 13, until the disc clears the lugs, whereupon a downward force on the angular post C urges the blades against the blade spreading means 22 to the expanded position shown in Fig. 11. In that position a suitable tying member 63 may be passed about the rod B just under the disc 6| and through holes 64 in the post, to hold the post in anchored position.

If it is desired to remove the post and to retrieve the anchor, the tying means 63 is released and a downward force is applied on the upper end of the rod B to release the blade latching means 52. When the blade latching means are thus released, an upward pull on the post 0 will cause the blades to collapse as described above in connection with Figs. 1 to 9. The post moves upwardly along the rod B until the disc BI is engaged by the lower lugs 62 which latches the rod to the post so that further movement of the post removes not only the head and blade assembly of the anchor, but also the blade spreading means 22.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an expansible conical anchor of novel construction in which the blades are releasably latched in expanded position and may be released for collapsing by the retrieving means which cooperates with means on the anchor to facilitate reclaiming it. In addition, the blade latching means during installation cooperates with the rod or member to be anchored to resist separation of the collapsed blades from the blade spreading means.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with specific details, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with an expansible conical anchor, of expanding means, releasable latching means for releasably latching the anchor in expanded condition, means comprising an anchor member for displacing the expanding means for releasing said latching means, and means for retrieving said anchor upon operation of the releasing means. I

2. In an expansible ground anchor, the combi nation of a head, a plurality of blades pivoted to said head and depending therefrom, blade spreading means, means connected to said blade spreading means and passing through said head, and blade latching means on said blades cooperating with said blade spreading means to hold the blades in spread position and frictionally engaging the second said means when the blades are in collapsed position for resisting movement of said head along the second said means away from said blade spreading means.

3. In an expansible ground anchor, the combination of a head, a plurality of blades pivoted to said head and depending therefrom, blade spreading means, means connected to said blade spreading means and passing through said head, and blade latching means on said blades cooperating with said blade spreading means to hold the blades in spread position and frictionally engaging the second said means when the blades are in collapsed position for resisting separation of the second said means and the blades spreading means.

4. In an expansible ground anchor, a blade support, a plurality of blades pivoted to depend therefrom, blade spreading means, means in-* cluding a member on each blade for holding the blades in a collapsed position adjacent the blade spreading means during installation, and means on said blade spreading means cooperating with the member on each said blade for holding said blades in expanded position.

5. In combination, a member to be anchored, an expansible conical anchor secured at an end of said member, means for expanding said anchor after it is positioned in the ground, means for collapsing said anchor while it is in the ground to permit its removal, and means on said anchor for loosening theearth thereabout to facilitate the removal of said anchor from the ground.

6. A device of the class described comprising an anchor member to be anchored, expanding means secured thereto adjacent the lower end thereof, a plurality of collapsible-expansible anchor blades slidable in collapsed relation along said member into engagement with said expanding means for expansion into anchoring engagement with the earth, means for locking the anchor blades to said expanding means when the former are in expanded relation, means comprising said anchor member for displacing said anchoring means from looking relation with respect to said anchor blades, and means secured to said blades for collapsing and Withdrawing the latter from anchoring position.

WILLIAM C. DILLON. 

